Love Let Her
by Spike Speigel1
Summary: What do Castle and Beckett do now that there's no tomorrow to stop them?  Epilogue to The Continuing Day by Day.  Complete.


Title: Love Let Her

Author: Spike Speigel

Rating: PG-13

Classification: Castle/Beckett

Disclaimer: My second Castle fanfic. As usual, these characters don't belong to me. I'm just taking them for a joyride. Thanks to foreverhopefuloflove for the beta.

Spoilers: You should really read The Continuing Day by Day first.

Summary: What do Castle and Beckett do now that there's no tomorrow to stop them? Epilogue to The Continuing Day by Day.

Author's Note: Consider this an ending for now. I'll revisit the events from The Continuing Day by Day after I finish plotting out my next series. Enjoy!

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><p>Castle reaches out to the other side of the bed, but his hand only finds a cold bedspread. His eyes flutter open as he takes in his surroundings. He knows that he's in his bedroom, but as he sits up, he realizes that he's naked. He arches his back, hearing the vertebrae crack as he lets out a small groan.<p>

His muscles were sore. All over. As his legs swing over the side of the bed, he manages a small smile. He leans over to retrieve the pair of boxer shorts next to his feet, sliding them on in one deft move, and then inspects his surroundings once more.

Her clothes were gone but he could still smell her faintly, the scent of cherries hovering at the edges of the room. Other than that, there was no evidence that she was ever there. Castle sighs as the back of his hand rubs the sleep away from his eyes.

He was right, after all. She changed her mind, Castle thinks to himself as he sits on the side of the bed, his mind flitting between last night and the present. His fingers graze his lips, as he remembers her mouth on his. The electricity coursing through his entire body as he moved under her. Her warm, smooth skin pressing against his own naked flesh.

Castle's been with his share of women, but he's never felt close to them. Not even with Meredith and Gina, even though he spent portions of his life as a husband to both. Yes, they had had sex, but he'd never been close enough to them to ever consider it making love.

Then there was last night.

He frowns slightly at the thought. Last night was the best night of his life, and Beckett was gone. Maybe she had an early morning. Was she back at work? They hadn't talked much after the living room. Instead, they had given in to their feelings, communicating with their bodies instead of their words. And he had thought they had come to an understanding. This was it. She was it.

Castle looks over his shoulder, looking for a possible letter from Beckett. Maybe she didn't want to wake him, so she said her goodbye on a piece of paper. But, instead of a note, Castle only sees an empty bed, sheets strewn about from the previous night.

He doesn't blame her, though. Who knows what her mindset was currently, Castle thinks to himself as he rises from the bed, his toes curling into the carpet. It had been barely a month since the cemetery. Surely she was still recovering from her wounds, both physical and emotional. But he had honestly thought they had moved past the ambiguity of their relationship and finally defined it last night.

Or so he thought.

Castle runs his left hand through his hair, and winces when the pain shoots up his forearm.

"Oww. Dammit."

His hand retreats from his head, now hovering in front of his gaze. His injured fingers glare back at him. Castle's mind begins to wander back to the basement, but he quickly shakes the thought out of his mind, not wanting to remember the events that transpired there. Still, if he had it to do all over again, he wouldn't change anything. Because Beckett's safe. And right now, that's all that matters to him.

The bathroom door opening startles Castle, Castle's hand falling to side as he sees the occupant.

"Hey."

She's dressed. That's why he couldn't find her clothes on the floor. Beckett walks over to him, cell phone in hand. Castle wonders if he should get dressed as well, but instead returns her greeting.

"Hey." They stand in front of each other, both not knowing what to say next. Castle finds it odd looking down at Beckett. It was something he'd have to get used to. That was, if this was something they were going to have to get used to. Castle's gaze moves to Beckett's cell phone, his partner catching the glance.

"I didn't want to wake you. I just wanted to call Lanie to tell her that I'd be running late for our therapy session."

Castle nods, wondering if she's telling the truth. After all, she was somewhere she shouldn't be currently. Not if Josh had anything to say about it. "It's okay. Really." Beckett throws him a confused look, Castle expounding on his statement. "If you want to forget about last night…"

She quickly cuts him off. "Why would I want to forget about last night?" The surprise in her voice was not something he expected.

Castle hangs his head slightly, realizing that everything he had last night was about to walk out of his bedroom door in a matter of seconds. "Because of Josh."

"Because of…" And just like that, it hits her like the proverbial ton of bricks. She had lost herself in the man standing in front of her, it never even occurred to her that he didn't know about her current relationship status. "Oh, God." Castle furrows his brow, confusion now overcoming him. Beckett reaches her hand out for Castle's good one, holding it between them, as she speaks. "I'm so sorry, Rick. It completely slipped my mind."

The perplexity is evident in his voice. "What slipped your mind?"

She squeezes his hand, a half smile currently gracing her lips. Her voice is somewhat apologetic, with a hint of embarrassment. "I'm not with Josh anymore."

Castle's hand jumps out of Beckett, partially out of the shock he's now experiencing after hearing Beckett's words. "Wait. What?"

"I'm sorry. I should have told you…" She doesn't get the chance to finish her sentence as Castle's lips find hers. She moans into his mouth, the cell phone falling from her grasp, before she pulls away from him. "Wh…what was that for?"

"I don't know. All I wanted to do just now was kiss you."

She smiles at his honesty, dropping a kiss on the tip of his nose. "So, are you going to ask me when I broke up with Josh?"

His answer makes her smile even more. "I don't care. All that matters is that you're here now." He leans over, his lips finding respite near the crook of her neck. Beckett moans once more, Castle's lips reminding her of their earlier tryst.

"Rick…"

He mumbles between kisses. "Stay."

She slurs her words as her hands find their way into his hair. "Can't. Lanie." She pulls his head toward her, her lips finding his once more. She can still taste herself on his lips before she pulls away from him, gasping for air. "I have…I have to go."

Castle can see in her eyes that she wants to stay, but she also has to go. So, he nods while he loosens his grip on her waist. "Can I see you later?"

The shyness in his request makes her grin like a giddy schoolgirl. She'd dreamt of moments like this, but she never actually thought she'd be living one. "What? Like a date?"

"Well, yeah." Castle's smile quickly falls from his face as he continues. "Wait. No."

"No?"

Castle can see the puzzled look on Beckett's face. "No. Not no. You. Me. Date. Definitely happening. But I have a book signing this evening at the Strand."

Beckett can feel her heart drop at the unwelcome news. But, in typical Beckett fashion, she doesn't show her displeasure to him. "Oh, that's okay. We can talk about this later. I should really get going."

His response is concise, but filled with so many possibilities. "Come with me."

"What?"

Castle pulls her closer to him, sincerity in his gaze. "We'll make a night of it. I'll sign some books. Show off my new girlfriend. And then we can go to the Lobby Bar at the Ace Hotel."

Beckett's forehead crinkles slightly at his choice of destination. "Ace Hotel?"

Castle assuages her fears. "The Lobby Bar at the Ace Hotel."

"Oh, that's completely different."

"It is," Castle encourages.

Beckett rolls her eyes. "How so?"

"Because, my dear Katherine, the Lobby Bar is home to the world famous Breslin Burger."

He has her at the word burger. "Yeah?"

"Trust me. Once you've had a Breslin Burger, you'll forget all about Remy's."

"That good, huh?" Castle nods, a small smile on his face. "For a second there, I thought you just wanted to get my clothes off."

"Oh, I do." He raises an eyebrow before continuing. "But after dinner."

Beckett playfully slaps Castle's chest, her hand lingering there as she speaks. "So, girlfriend? You okay with that? Won't that take you out of the running for this year's eligible bachelors list?"

Castle shrugs his shoulders, his good hand moving over Beckett's, holding it close to his heart. "I'll take you over a stupid list any day of the week." He raises their entwined hands up to his lips, dropping a kiss on her back of her hand.

Beckett tries to hide the smile emerging on her face, but finds it a futile battle. "Good answer."

Castle's tone is matter-of-fact as he responds. "Only answer."

And just like that, the smile that Beckett was trying to hide from Castle emerges on her lips. But, she can see in his eyes that the levity of the moment has been replaced with something else. Something she can't readily identify. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Castle frowns slightly, placing another kiss on Beckett's hand before answering. "I'm sorry. But, I have to ask you this."

The concern in his voice has her worried now. "Ask me what?"

Castle hesitates for a moment before speaking once more. "Montgomery's files. What do you want me to do with them?"

Beckett can see the concern in his eyes, as though the next words out of her mouth will dictate the nature of their burgeoning relationship. And, somehow, his concern for her well-being makes this the easiest decision she's had to make in a very long time.

"Fallon and Shaw have copies of the files, right?"

Castle nods, somewhat surprised at Beckett's question. "How did you…"

"Your phone logs. When I was trying to find you, I noticed you placed back to back calls to both Agents Fallon and Shaw. I put two and two together."

Castle manages a small smile as he speaks. "Yes you did, Detective. So, what's your answer?"

Beckett pulls Castle's entwined hand closer to her chest, their hands now over the scar that he had delicately kissed mere hours ago. "Keep them safe."

Castle tilts his head, somewhat in confusion to Beckett's response. "What are you saying?"

Beckett pauses for a moment, trying to find the right words for the man standing in front of her. But, as she looks into his eyes, she knows the answer. It's the answer her mother would have given her. "I'm saying…" Her hand releases its grip from Castle's, both now finding respite around his neck. "I want to try living for a while." She looks up at him, seeing the smile emerging on his lips once again.

"Are you sure?"

She can still see the worry in his eyes, so she assuages his fears the only way she knows how. With the truth. "You were right. When you said I was afraid to find out who I am without my mother's murder."

"Kate…"

Her lips press against his for the briefest of moments, before she continues. "It's okay. I'm okay." Castle nods as Beckett begins to speak once more. "I've been hiding for years. Behind her murder. Behind relationships that go nowhere." She looks up at Castle, her resolve evident in her voice. "I don't want to hide anymore, Rick. I want to be happy."

She can feel his hands moving once more to the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Beckett places a small kiss on Castle's cheek before her gaze finds his once more. "I don't know how to be me without you anymore, either."

Castle's eyes widen at the realization of Beckett's words to him. His mouth opens slightly, but before he can speak, Beckett's lips are on his once more. He closes his eyes, finding the sensation of kissing Beckett as intoxicating now as it was the first time. Maybe even more so, if that was even possible. He begins to lose himself in her embrace, in her kiss. But there's one thought in the back of his mind as their bodies find the bed once more, his hands beginning to undo the buttons of her shirt as her hair falls against his chest.

"What about Lanie?"

Beckett moans as his hand cups her breast, his other hand ensuring her shirt finds its way to the floor once more.

"She'll forgive me."

Castle nods hurriedly as he leans up to capture Beckett's lips once more. She's happy, he thinks to himself as his hands move to the front of her pants, his fingers working on the clasp. It's the last coherent thought he has.

* * *

><p>Lanie looks at her watch, wondering if she should call Beckett once more. She was already an hour late. Beckett had told her that she'd be late today. But she hadn't told her why. Or how late. Realizing that she has a backlog at the morgue, Lanie begins to gather her things. They could always meet up this evening after work.<p>

As she gets up from the mat, she hears a throat clear behind her. She expects it to be Beckett, an apologetic look on her face as she turns around. However, Lanie's only half right.

"Hi, Lanie. Sorry I'm late."

Lanie's eyes move from Beckett to Castle, noting the arm wrapped around the other's waist. Castle holds up a white paper bag, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Bear claw?"

Lanie wraps her arms in front of her chest, her response succinct as a smile forms on her lips.

"Well, it's about damn time."

_**Fin**_


End file.
